Dear List,
In thinking about sauropod adaptations, especially concerning necks, tails,
and juvenile behavior, I had an idea that I haven't yet heard or read.
What if sauropods could raise their necks, and whip their tails, but did so
not as adults, when blood pressure and tail bone breaking became a problem,
but rather as juveniles, when bone is softer, blood pressure lower, and
foliage more out of reach. I can imagine (yes, imagine: pure speculation)
a young, 20 foot sauropod facing off against a predator and rearing up,
using its claws (if its not a titanosaur) as defense, along with a whip
from its tail.
What if all those ostensible adaptations for sauropod rearing were
adaptations for sauropod rearing, only not as adults?
I don't know if this is testable, but I thought it worth propounding.
Happy winter, everyone.
- Demetrios Vital